Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
back to:
Numbers
Book: Numbers
Chapter: 1
Overview:
The numbering of the Israelites.
(1-43) The number of the
people.
(44-46) The Levites not numbered with the
Rest.
(47-54)
1-43 The people were numbered to show
God's faithfulness in
thus increasing the seed of
Jacob, that they might be the better
trained for the wars and conquest of
Canaan, and to ascertain
their families in order to the division of the land. It is said
of each
Tribe, that those were numbered who were able to go
forth to
War; they had wars before them, though now they met
with
No opposition. Let the believer be prepared to withstand
the enemies of his soul, though all may appear to be peace.
44-46 We have here the sum total. How much was required to
maintain all these in the
Wilderness! They were all provided for
By God every
Day. When we observe the faithfulness of
God,
however unlikely the performance of his promise may appear, we
may take courage as to those which yet remain to be fulfilled to
the
Church of
God.
47-54 Care is here taken to distinguish the
Tribe of
Levi,
which, in the matter of the
Golden Calf, had distinguished
itself. Singular services shall be recompensed
By singular
honours. It was to the honour of the Levites, that to them was
committed the care of the
Tabernacle and its treasures, in their
camps and in their marches. It was for the honour of the holy
things that none should see them, or touch them, but those who
were called of
God to the service. We all are unfit and unworthy
to have
Fellowship with
God, till called
By his
Grace into the
Fellowship of his Son
Jesus Christ our
Lord; and
So, being the
spiritual seed of that great High
Priest, we are made priests to
our
God. Great care must be taken to prevent
Sin, for preventing
Sin is preventing wrath. Being a holy
Tribe, they were not
reckoned among other Israelites. They that
Minister about holy
things, should neither entangle themselves, nor be entangled, in
worldly affairs. And let every believer seek to do what the
Lord
has commanded.